Salon - - The news from Zimbabwe - Page 12

CJ Swartz · #**166** 05-05-2002, 11:51 AM

Adding my loving thoughts and wishes for safety, peace, and a reasonable resolution of an extremely difficult situation...

Sam, let us know what you can, when you can, and know that many hearts are skipping a beat when they think of you and your family.

d_kendal · #**167** 05-05-2002, 11:48 PM

Hi Sam,
great to hear from you again! have you been able to get much of you and your family's belongings away yet? what exactly do the war vets do when they move into a farm? that must be horrible just having to wait, not knowing whats going to happen next. you are handling this awful situation amazingly well! good luck and best wishes

- David

Sam · #**168** 05-07-2002, 02:40 PM

Ed - Believe me, I think every day about leaving the country!!! The only difficulty with that at this stage would be shipping our stuff out - customs would probably not allow it, but that's a minor issue. What I'm worried about is if we leave it too late and things really blow up (which is a definite possibility) then, yes, there could be problems on the roads, at border crossings, etc. The trouble is, nobody knows where we're headed at the moment - the government has been eerily silent about its intentions, but the evidence on the ground suggests they are intent on squashing every last vestige of opposition, both real and imagined.

DJ - Having a family in the States would come in very handy at a time like this!!!

Jeanie - my b.i.l. is still there, but there are definite signs his days on the farm are numbered. Which could be said for all of us!

Carolyn - thank you for your kind wishes & thoughts. I carry them with me!

David - we haven't managed to move much yet, as it has to be done very carefully - avoiding being followed, etc. It was bad enough not being allowed to remove any farm equipment, but now we hear stories of people who've had their personal belongings, including cars, confiscated by warvets, who claim the car (or whatever) belongs to the farm and as they now own the farm, they also own the car. African logic, I guess.

Re what warvets do - well, it varies from farm to farm. They turn up in large numbers, mark out whatever piece of land they reckon will do nicely (front lawns are popular), build pole & dagga (mud) huts on it, pretend to grow crops, steal fences, cut down trees, drink large quantities of Chibuku (an alcoholic concoction of the consistency of thick soup), beat drums and wail at the top of their voices all night. Those are the nice ones! The less desirable variety ... well, you saw what they did to that guy with the little dog, so I'm sure you can imagine.

But really, we farmers sit here and whinge about our problems, but they're nothing compared to what Mr. Average MDC supporter is going through. Added to which they reckon that the number of starving Zimbabweans is up to 2 million. Mostly in the south of the country, rather than near where we live.

Hello!!! Anyone still awake???

DJ Dubovsky · #**169** 05-07-2002, 02:53 PM

That's terrible Sam and worse, it's allowed and even sanctioned by other African Nations. One man has taken a prosperous country and singlehandedly run it into the ground. Absolutely unbelievable. You don't hear anything about it on the news here either. It's so maddening that there's nothing you can do about it. God bless ya Sam, you sure need it about now.
DJ

jeaniesa · #**170** 05-08-2002, 12:42 AM

Sam - I'm definitely still awake! Sitting on the edge of my seat is more like it. I've been trying to think of something to say all day, but I just can't think of any words to express what I'm feeling about the situation in Zimbabwe in general and your situation in particular. I know that you'll do whatever you can to reduce your risks and stay safe, so I'll just keep sending good thoughts your way and hope that in some small way they help.
Jeanie

d_kendal · #**171** 05-08-2002, 12:15 PM

I'm in the same position as jeanie - the situation is just so horrible I just can't think of anything to say. just hoping that you're still ok and that you don't get any of the "less desirable variety" of war vets on your property

- David

Sharon Brunson · #**172** 05-15-2002, 11:45 PM

Sam, you have been in my thoughts lately. I hope it is some comfort to you to know that so many people care. Please be well.

Sharon

Sam · #**173** 05-16-2002, 01:25 AM

Thank you, Sharon. I really appreciate that!

G. Couch · #**174** 06-01-2002, 10:59 AM

Just wanted to bring this thread back up since we have not heard from Sam in a while...hopefully things are going ok and you and your family are safe.

On a related note, since we are a visual group, I found an interesting link to a "graphic commentary" on the Zimbabwe situation. http://www.agitnet.org/index.html
One of my favorite images is on this page ...down near the bottom is an image of a "zwiss" knife.

jeaniesa · #**175** 06-01-2002, 11:32 AM

Wow - those are some very powerful images you found Greg!

I heard from Sam this past Wed (29th). She's hanging on at the farm with the "wovvits," though lots of people are still being thrown off their farms, so the situation is pretty much the same and definitely not stable.

Jeanie

CJ Swartz · #**176** 06-01-2002, 11:53 AM

Quote:

link to a "graphic commentary" on the Zimbabwe situation

Greg - great find! Great graphic art with passionate beliefs.

Sam -- glad you're okay, have you decided about Canada, if there is a need to leave?

Sam · #**177** 06-03-2002, 08:45 AM

Hey Greg - thanks for that link ... I hadn't heard of that website before, but I have seen some of the graphics ... by a very talented ex-Zimbabwean (or rather exiled Zimbabwean!) called Chaz Maviyane-Davies. My guess is he had to leave on account of these pictures.

We're fine at the moment - thanks! Nothing too dramatic has happened lately - there seems to be a bit of a muddle going on at the highest levels - on the one hand they want to carry on with their loony ideas, but on the other they are just waking up to the fact that the country is falling into a desperate famine situation ... it's taken long enough for them to realise - let's hope they start to see sense now. One can but hope!

Sam

DJ Dubovsky · #**178** 06-03-2002, 10:49 AM

Thank God you're ok Sam. I was thinking it had been awhile since we heard from you so I, along with others were getting concerned. I'm so glad things are quiet for the time and you haven't been run off your land. Still praying for you guys though.

I was hoping someone in power would wake up to the situation in that country before it's too late. Now let's see if they can do something about it. As long as the greedy despot is milking his cash cow who knows. However, I think his cow is starting to dry up on him.
DJ

Steve Taylor · #**179** 06-03-2002, 12:11 PM

Sam,

I just started reading this thread a couple of days ago. I was so worried when I saw that your last post was on the 19th of May. I'm glad you and the family are OK. It's funny, I don't even know you and I have lost sleep over your situation. The apostle Paul wrote the following in 2 Corinthians. I thought it applied to you and your family.

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed."

Take care of yourself friend. You have more people on your side than you will ever know.

Steve

Sam · #**180** 06-04-2002, 01:16 AM

Wow, Steve - that is SO touching. After reading this thread, you probably know me better than most people!!

DJ - your analogy with the cow is spot on! These guys have milked this country for so long (not just this country, either - the Congo being another rape victim) and shipped so much money out, that I really don't think they give a damn what they're doing to Zimbabwe, or what happens to its people.

Typically, as soon as I say something as foolhardy as "nothing dramatic has happened", something does ... another farmer was shot yesterday ... his farm had been allocated to some government official. I must learn to keep my mouth shut!

Sam